What's Next? -- Chapter 16
Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Alec, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Becky/X6-405, etc.).
"...yes, that would be great. Perfect. Somebody will stop by later today to pick them up. Thank you," Rena said a few weeks later. She hung up the phone and looked up as Max entered the office. "Hey, Maxie! What are you doing here?"
"My morning sickness seems to be done for the day and Zack's at work and I'm starting to get hungry," Max said. "The guys look like they're doing pretty good so far."
"I know and we've only been open for a week so far," Rena said. "I think so far it's that whole transgenic novelty thing, but they'll keep coming back when they realize what quality work they do."
"While they leave you and Syl to do all the behind-the-scenes business crap?" Max teased.
"They do their fair share," Rena said. She shrugged and stood up. "Let's get some food. I'm starving."
"So am I," Max said. "Should we get Syl?"
"Yeah," Rena said. She and Max left the office and went next door to the office that Syl shared with Krit and knocked on the door. "Max is here and we're going for food. You ready for your lunch break yet?"
"You know that I am," Syl said from inside the office. A few moments later, she left the room and walked into the hall and to Max and Rena. "Is it going to be just us three?"
Max shook her head. "Jondy's waiting in her car for us. Jace and Brin are also coming with. They're in Jace's car."
"Nice," Syl said. The three of them left the building and went out to where the other three were waiting for them. Max and Rena got into Jondy's car and Syl got into Jace's and they drove off to a restaurant. They went inside and sat down at a table. "When was the last time that we just did the sisters having lunch thing?"
"Without the kids? Way too long," Brin said.
"Did Alec take Anthony with him to work today?" Max asked.
"He did," Brin said. "I don't know how he'll deal with clients and his son at the same time, but if there's anybody who can do it, it's Alec."
Jondy shook her head. "I still can't believe that of all things, he's an art dealer."
"It's not that hard to believe," Max said.
"And he's good," Brin said. "Do you know how many paintings of Joshua's that he sold last week?"
"I'm happy for Josh that he found something that he can not only enjoy doing, but be successful at as well," Max said. "If there's one profession where a transgenic like him can be successful, it's art. Being unusual is a prerequisite there."
"True," Jace said.
"I've got a full day ahead of me today," Rena said after waiting for the waiter to take their orders. "After I'm done with my work at the shop, I've got to baby-sit Jade and Julia tonight while Sasha and Biggs go out on a date."
"I thought Gem was going to baby-sit the twins," Syl said. "That's what she said to me when she brought her new car in to be serviced."
"She was, but she had something come up at work and she has to stay there until eight-thirty tonight," Rena said. "She'll come over and take over for me when she gets back."
"That is one complicated family," Jondy said. "Sasha, Biggs, Gem, Sasha's twins, Biggs and Gem's little girl, and in a little more than eight months from now, Sasha and Biggs' new baby."
"It's not that complicated," Rena said. "They all get along. Gem and Sasha are still really great friends and Gem and Biggs are pretty good friends as well. There isn't that much tension left there if there is any left at all. They've got that whole deal sorted out and they're handling it pretty good. Personally, I'm really impressed with them."
Brin nodded. "They're really being mature about it." She grinned wickedly. "What about 591?"
"He hasn't showed up yet," Rena said. She shrugged. "If he doesn't, it's great, and if he does eventually show up...here's hoping that there won't be too much fireworks."
"Are you actually saying that you don't want shit to happen?" Max teased.
"For my nieces sake," Rena clarified.
"Speaking of fireworks, you should have been there this one time when I was sixteen and I saw these two gangs just beat the living shit out of each other over this one girl," Jondy said. "It was absolutely hysterical. Just because the one dude's sister got drunk and hooked up with this other dude, they damn near beat each other to death. This happened to be right near the apartment that I was living in over in New Mexico at the time so I was able to watch the whole shit from my living room window." She shrugged. "I never understood that whole deal. What was the point of them beating the crap out of each other? If the girl had an itch and that was how she chose to scratch it, that's her business. Oh wait, male pride. Duh." She shrugged again and smiled. "Regardless of why they beat the crap out of each other, it was fun to watch. I wish I had a video recorder so I could have taped it and watched it again."
They waited while the waiter brought them their food and they started to eat. Jace took a bite of her lunch and shook her head. "Why did we decide to eat here? This food sucks."
"If you want to blame somebody, blame Jondy," Max said. "She was the one who wanted to eat here."
"And as far as post-Pulse standards go, this place is pretty good," Jondy said defensively. "I don't think the food is that bad."
"Well, not in comparison to your cooking," Jace said.
"My cooking is pretty good!" Jondy said. "You know it is. If you want to talk about bad cooking, let's talk about Max and Brin. Neither of them can cook to save their lives."
"I have gotten a lot better," Max pointed out.
"So have I," Brin said.
"It's true," Syl said. "Brin and Alec invited Krit and me over to their place for dinner last night and Brin actually cooked and it actually was borderline good and definitely edible." She laughed when Brin stuck her tongue out at her.
"When do you have to be back at work?" Brin teased.
"Speaking of work, Maxie, are you actually going to Washington in a few days or was that just a load of bull that Wayne was talking about last night?" Jondy asked.
"No, I'm flying to Washington in a few days," Max said. She rolled her eyes. "It's some boring dinner-political-public relations dealio. I hate this crap."
"You should have thought of that before you saved the world," Rena joked.
"Very funny," Max remarked. "Oh well. I'm happy that Zack will be there with me."
"So he's actually going to get dressed up?" Jace said. She raised an eyebrow. "The same guy who can't be without his jeans ever is going to dress up?"
"Yeah, he's going to get dressed up," Max said. She grinned and laughed. "Now there is some practice for when our baby is older: getting Zack dressed for something fancy."
The others also laughed. "I'd pay for that one," Jondy said. "Is it just going to be you and Zack or is Becky and/or Alec going with you?"
"Becky's going with us and she's almost as enthusiastic about getting dressed up as her brother is," Max said. "Jeff's going with her. Alec's going with us and so is Brin."
"Yeah," Brin confirmed. "We'll leave Anthony with Biggs and Sasha while we're away."
"Relax, you're only going to be away for a few days," Jondy said.
"Relax? I'll be away from my little boy for three days," Brin said. "I've never been away from him for more than six hours before, not counting sleeping."
"Jondy, chill out," Jace said. "It's harder than you think when it's the first time that you'll be away from your kid for a somewhat significant period of time. Just wait until you and Wayne have children. You're going to be just like Brin when that time comes. I know that I was like that."
"That won't be for a few more years," Jondy said.
"And I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' when it does happen," Jace said.
"I swear, we're settling down and having kids but will we ever completely grow up?" Max wondered.
"Good question," Brin said. "Damn good question."
TBC